S318 Hold Fast
by ZenosParadox
Summary: RS. Reed and Sato find common ground at Azati Prime. Missing Scenes for Azati Prime, Episode 18 Season 3.


Title: S318 Hold Fast Author: ZenosParadox Rating: PG  
Summary: RS. Reed and Sato find common ground at Azati Prime. Missing Scenes for Azati Prime, Episode 18 Season 3.   
Notes: Mild spoilers for Azati Prime. Written March 7, 2004. Disclaimer: The characters belong to Paramount. This fiction was written solely for personal enjoyment.  
  
HOLD FAST  
  
Lieutenant Malcolm Reed looked up from the Captain's chair on the bridge when he saw Ensign Hoshi Sato literally bouncing on her chair. He could even swear she emitted a little "Eep" noise.  
  
Sato looked around sheepishly when she felt Reed's gaze fall on her, but her joy at getting the UT to translate the Xindi insectoid language was not dampened by her embarrassment. "Sorry, sir, I got carried away by my success."  
  
Reed was at the comm station in a few quick strides. "You've got the UT working?"  
  
"You doubted my success?" asked Sato with just a touch of arrogance.  
  
"On the contrary, I hold fast to my faith in your talents. Let me hear it."  
  
"This is a standard greeting," said Sato as Reed listened to a series of clicks and buzzes.   
  
The Lieutenant read the literal translation on Sato's monitor simultaneously. "What's the buzz?"  
  
Sato nodded. "The next one says the communication link is having problems."  
  
Reed cocked his head to listen, but for the life of him, could not distinguish the difference. He read aloud, "The antenna are pooped? Does that mean tired or--"   
  
"The UT won't let me use the proper term, sir," responded Sato primly.  
  
"I see. Anything else?"  
  
"This one is goodbye."   
  
Reed tried to concentrate, but it still sounded like the same string of clicks to him. He read, "May many nymphs nibble your belly?"  
  
"I think it's a good thing the Commander found Captain Archer in the hatchery when he did. Phlox thinks the newborns, uh, nymphs use the adults for an immediate food source."  
  
"That must be why we didn't evacuate all the adult bodies. Thank heaven for small favors then.' Reed shrugged lightly then turned to the topic at hand as he admitted, "To tell you the truth, I couldn't tell the difference among messages, Ensign."   
  
His eyes held that spark of admiration that made Sato feel ten feet tall. The Ensign tried to maintain her professional tone and not squeal like a girl again and said, "Just doing my job, sir."  
  
"You might include some phrases that they can use as an alibi, though, like navigational problems or the like," suggested Reed.   
  
Sato immediately deflated and threw Reed an annoyed look. She should have thought of that. "That's next on my list, sir."  
  
"The comm system might be very critical for the success of this mission, Ensign," added Reed as he noted he'd hit a sore spot with Sato.  
  
Sato was about to say something in retort when she noticed Reed was rubbing at his lip again. He'd been doing that a lot since they had come to Azati Prime. She softened her voice and merely said, "Malcolm, I want Travis and Trip to come back, too. I just--I just don't need another T'Pol."  
  
Hoshi turned back to her console, but Malcolm asked her quietly, "I take it that T'Pol has been critical of your work lately?"  
  
The linguist sighed, and scanned the bridge. T'Pol was at the command center with the Captain and everyone on the bridge seemed busy. She whispered, "T'Pol's always been critical, but lately she's been, I don't know, irritable. I swear she's like my mother in PMS."  
  
Hoshi was surprised when Malcolm nodded in agreement. "I've been noticing little things that are out of character, but I wasn't sure whether it was just my imagination."  
  
"Then we're both having the same hallucinations." Hoshi shook her head for a moment and added, "It's good to have you as a reality check, Malcolm. I don't want to lose that."  
  
"I'll try to maintain my sanity, Ensign," said Reed with his half-smile.  
  
"We need you on the ship, Lieutenant." Sato couldn't look at Reed when she said this, but added, "We need all of you on the ship, but I think you're the only one who would listen to me."  
  
Reed nodded in understanding. Sato was merely voicing his own concern. They wanted the mission to succeed, but someone had to be left to command the ship. If they lost Trip and Travis, if T'Pol was becoming emotionally unstable, if the Captain put himself in jeopardy again; the litany could be endless. Reed scanned the crew manning the bridge stations and was struck again by the fact that he and Sato alone were the senior officers at their post. He prayed this would not become a permanent arrangement.  
  
Reed went back to the Captain's chair and picked up the data PADD he was working with. Sato threw him one last glance and noticed he was again rubbing his lip. She jerked her hand away from her mouth in surprise when she noticed she was doing the same thing.   
  
  
  
Lieutenant Malcolm Reed inspected the photon torpedoes that were on the Insectoid shuttle. He felt proud of his armory crew; they had done an excellent job. He inspected the control panel one last time and became absorbed in his thoughts. Sato's voice surprised him when she entered.  
  
"You're not thinking of disobeying orders are you?" she asked.   
  
Reed turned sharply. "No, I had my chance to insist on volunteering, but I kept silent. And I think in the long run, the Captain might be the best one to take the shuttle. You have the UT upgrade on the Xindi?"  
  
"Not much has changed; I just made the processing more efficient. Time might make a difference between--between the Captain's success or failure." Sato was clearly blinking her eyes when she offered the PADD to the Lieutenant.  
  
"Let's see to the upgrades."   
  
Reed moved aside as Sato transferred the program. As they waited for the download, the Ensign asked, "You really think a Captain should leave his ship to go on a suicide mission?"  
  
Reed was silent for a moment as he tried to put his thoughts together. "The Captain is a good pilot. There's no doubt he's one of the better qualified personnel for the success of destroying the weapon."  
  
Sato shook her head, but Reed continued, "However, given the Captain's prior history and dubious luck, it's more likely that he might be captured."  
  
"That means certain failure for the mission," sighed Hoshi. She wanted to hold fast to the belief this mission had a chance of success and that by some miracle the Captain would survive.  
  
"If the Captain were captured, he has the best chance for survival, Hoshi, and the best chance to convince the Xindi that Earth is not their enemy." Malcolm registered Hoshi's skeptical expression and added, "Sorry, I'm letting my imagination go wild, I suppose."  
  
"Or you're becoming an eternal optimist." Hoshi smiled gently at her comrade and said, "Don't worry, your secret is safe with me. And I do hope you're right." Her voice fell a bit as she admitted, "I--I couldn't look after Porthos this time."  
  
"What?" asked Malcolm. Then he remembered how Archer had asked Hoshi to look after the beagle during the Suliban boarding two years ago. "Why?"  
  
"I met the Captain in the corridor on my way here. He said he could leave Porthos with Phlox, but that he wanted to offer me the chance to take care of him. And I told him no, Malcolm."   
  
This time the Lieutenant could clearly see the tears shining in her eyes as she added, "It would be like accepting the fact that the Captain isn't coming back if I were to take Porthos. I feel so bad about letting him down, so weak."  
  
Malcolm touched Hoshi's shoulder gently. "Don't do this to yourself. Porthos will be better off with Phlox. Sickbay will actually be safer if we come under an attack than your quarters."  
  
"I suppose." Hoshi wiped the tears away and laughed before saying, "Did you know that Jonathan Archer went all the way to Brazilian Amazon just to drag me away from my leave of absence to join the mission early?"  
  
Reed nodded and had a soft smile on his face. "Yes, I was surprised that he'd waste his time on such a venture, but after seeing your work, I understood why he insisted we needed you. And I doubt he's ever regretted his faith in you, so hold fast to your faith in him."  
  
Hoshi shrugged and said, "I think I'll sneak Porthos some cheese at the first opportunity I get."  
  
"You do that," agreed Reed. The download had finished, so he stood back from the console while Sato retrieved her PADD.   
  
"You're doing it again."  
  
Reed stopped in surprise and asked, "Doing what? I didn't say anything critical of your work."  
  
"The lip rubbing thing," said Sato. She reached out and gently wiped her index finger across his bottom lip.   
  
Malcolm caught her hand and moved her arm to her side. Hoshi merely used his hold as an excuse to move closer to him. "I'm not the one you should be nervous about, Lieutenant. I won't hurt you."  
  
Malcolm's breath caught in his chest for a moment, and seemed to lean forward without thought. He wasn't surprised when in the next instant he felt her soft lips on his own. The tender attitude of the man and woman was more telling than a lust-filled clutch.   
  
"Give me something to live for," they both thought, "Something I can hold on to during the next few hours."  
  
They broke apart and Hoshi said, "I'm glad it's not you on this mission."  
  
Malcolm looked at her bright eyes and said in all honesty, "So am I."  
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